News Releases | Sixty-fourth session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa

Cotonou, Benin 5 November 2014 - The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Sambo, has called on countries in the WHO African Region to accelerate the progress of implementation of the African Public Health Emergency Fund (APHEF).

The Fund, established in 2012, has received US$3.6 million in contributions from Member States and provided financial assistance totaling US$1.3 million to seven countries in the Region to manage declared public health emergencies.

Cotonou, 5 November 2014 – The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Regional Director for Africa,  Dr Luis Sambo, has proposed key actions to be implemented by countries in the African Region to tackle the Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak currently occurring in some West African countries.

The actions include strengthening national capacity to detect EVD outbreaks, providing care to patients and ensuring the effective infection prevention and control measures are in place at all health facilities.

Cotonou, Benin. 5 November 2014 - Countries in the WHO African Region have resolved to stop the spread of polio, and eliminate measles, tetanus in newborn babies and control other vaccine preventable diseases. It is estimated that over three million children under five years old, die each year in the WHO African Region and a significant number of these deaths could be prevented by vaccines.

Cotonou, 3 November 2014 – President Boni Yayi of Benin has urged African countries to strengthen their fragile health systems to respond to the epidemics that plague the continent.

Cotonou, 3 November 2014 – Countries in the WHO African Region have made progress in improving the health of the people in the past decade, but much remains to be done. This is highlighted in a report released today in Cotonou at the meeting of the 47 health ministers and high ranking health officials from the WHO African Region.  

Second Africa Regional Health Report Launched